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CatastropheTaiwan

Powerful earthquake shakes Taiwan

September 18, 2022

A 6.8 magnitude quake struck eastern Taiwan, with aftershock tremors felt in the capital, Taipei. The powerful quake was the second to hit the island in less than 24 hours.

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Firefighters searching for trapped victims in a collapsed residential building in Taiwan
Taiwan's president asked people to be vigilant for potential aftershocksImage: Hualien County Fire Department/AP/picture alliance

A 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan Sunday, which followed a 6.4 magnitude earthquake Saturday night, according to Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau.

One person died and nine people had minor injuries,  according to Taiwan's Emergency Operations Center.

Sunday's quake happened around 2:44 pm (0644 GMT), with the epicenter in Taitung county, a town in eastern Taiwan.

Aftershocks were also briefly felt in capital Taipei, which is more than 180 miles (300 kilometers) from the epicenter, after the quake earlier in the day.

The US Geological Survey initially measured Sunday's quake at 7.2 magnitude but later downgraded it to a 6.9 magnitude quake — slightly higher than the reading provided by the Taiwanese authorities.

Japan's Meteorological Agency issued tsunami advisories shortly before the quake but later upgraded their bulletin to say that high waves were no longer a threat.

Firefighters are seen at a collapsed building during a rescue operation following an earthquake in Yuli township om eastern Taiwan
Rescue teams continue operations after a building collapsed in Yuli in eastern TaiwanImage: Hualien City Government/AP/picture alliance

Buildings damaged, trains derailed

Taiwan's fire department said four people were rescued after the ground floor of a building, which had a 7/11 convenience store, collapsed in Yuli town in eastern Taiwan.

Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) said a train derailed in Dongli station in Hualien, which is one of Taiwan's biggest counties, after part of the platform canopy collapsed.

The railway agency said 20 passengers aboard the derailed train were evacuated and no injuries were reported.

Taiwan is regularly struck by earthquakes as the island sits on the "Ring of Fire'" region of seismic activity around the Pacific Ocean.

rm/dj (Reuters, AFP, dpa)